


Together or Not at All

by MissLit



Category: Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Character Death, Drabble, M/M, prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-20
Updated: 2014-01-20
Packaged: 2018-01-09 09:32:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1144373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissLit/pseuds/MissLit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After a long, happy life together, McCoy is about ready to let go.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Together or Not at All

**Author's Note:**

> Written for a drabble prompt on my Tumblr.  
> Previously posted on FanFiction.net.

"Get your damn hands off me," McCoy gasped out, trying desperately to shove Spock away. The Vulcan, in typical fashion, didn't listen, and instead hoisted McCoy up easily, carrying him to a bed across the room.

He laid him down, pulled a chair up, and gently brushed the doctor's hair from his face, watching him in that typical Spock fashion.

"Don't look at me like that," McCoy grumbled, looking away. "Like I'm dying. I'm not dying, you know, I may be over a hundred and twenty years old but I am  _not_  dying."

The pair of them had been together for many years. After Khan, after returning Spock's soul to his body, even after getting arrested by Klingons. It had taken many years for either of them to admit to anything romantic. They were just so damn stubborn.

Spock knew full well that it was McCoy's time. He didn't want to admit it, but he was a human, and one of the problems with being human was being so very fragile. Taking the other's hand into his, Spock brought it up to his lips, giving the back of it a small kiss. "I can feel it… You're in pain, t'hy'la…"

McCoy quickly shook his hand off. "I'm not," he gruffly responded, taking a breath to add something on. He began coughing, and needed Spock's help to sit up. Once the fit subsided, he tiredly laid down again, staring up at the other.

"You're… obnoxious, you know that?" he grumbled, frowning.

"I know," Spock easily answered, taking McCoy's hand again.

"… Sometimes… Back on the Enterprise… I used to wish you acted more human," McCoy admitted, looking away. Spock was mildly surprised by this. It wasn't often they got to learn something new about one another these days. "But then I reminded myself that… That wasn't what  _you_  wanted."

After a bit of silence, Spock nodded. "It was not," he admitted. "Which is why you pleased me when you pointed out the differences. I may not be human fully… but that human part of me… It cares for you, deeply."

McCoy snorted. "Cares for me. You mean it  _loves_  me." He turned those bright blue eyes back up to Spock. " _You_. Love me…"

He was fading fast. Spock could see how dull those lovely eyes were getting. The pain he was feeling was getting stronger. Gently, Spock placed his hand over McCoy's face, melding their minds and taking away his pain. He tried to fill his head with happy things; of warm summers in Georgia, of camping with Kirk at Yosemite, of the Enterprise and her crew, back all those years ago on their first five-year stint.

"How did you feel…?" McCoy breathed, eyes closed and smiling. "You never told me… How you felt when I asked you to marry me… On Vulcan…"

Spock tightened his grip on McCoy's hand, trying to bring that memory to the surface. A traditional Vulcan wedding. Spock had been incredibly surprised at the idea. But happy… They'd invited his parents, and his father seemed less surly than usual. His mother was simply ecstatic. She and McCoy always got along so well. He was glad that McCoy was there for her in her final days.

"I… Was happy," Spock whispered. "Always happy… You did what you could not to change me, you tried to change your lifestyle for me. Our lives were about give-and-take. I sometimes fear that I took more from you than you could give…"

McCoy laughed, light and airy. "No, Spock… You never took anything. All you did was give me… Something better to live for…"

As the last breath left McCoy, Spock kept hold of him, keeping the pain at bay until he was gone. Shakily, he pulled his hand back and leaned in, giving his lips one last kiss.

"I love you…" And he meant it.

He hadn't said it nearly enough.


End file.
